NC mail ballots sent amid legal challenges

North Carolina began mailing absentee ballots to voters on Friday, September 4, 2026, marking the start of a popular voting method for the upcoming midterm elections. The process is unfolding amid significant legal uncertainty surrounding federal efforts to restrict mail-in voting and potential new state-level regulations. President Donald Trump has sought to implement new federal restrictions on absentee ballots, including requirements for states to submit voter lists to the U.S. Postal Service and for ballot envelopes to comply with new rules and include barcodes. These proposed changes have faced legal challenges, with a federal judge temporarily blocking their mandatory implementation. The judge found that the USPS appeared to be exercising election authority not granted by Congress and warned of the possibility of widespread disenfranchisement. The administration has appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court. A whistleblower from the USPS has also raised concerns, alleging the agency is rushing to build a new screening system on an abbreviated timetable with requirements that are still changing.